Articles from Science for Environment Policy

Improved healthcare through new air pollution risk tool
Scientists have created a new, easy-to-use tool that allows health professionals to monitor the day-to-day risks posed by short-term exposure to main urban air pollutants. The tool could enable vulnerable groups, such as asthmatics, to take precautionary measures and to increase public awareness of the health impacts of air pollution, say the researchers.
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New approach to risk assessing pharmaceutical emissions
A recent study has considered the levels at which active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) residues are safe when released into water bodies from drug manufacturing plants. It proposes that environmental reference concentrations and maximum tolerable concentrations are adopted for each API.
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Trading practices affect measure of a country´s sustainability
`Genuine Savings´ (GS) is one of indicators used to assess the sustainable development of a country. A recent study highlights that GS is an incomplete indicator as it does not account for the impact of sustainable, or unsustainable, practices in trading partners.
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The importance of conserving biodiversity for biomedical research
Preserving species and the ecosystems in which they live is highly important to the progress of biomedical research. This is the conclusion made by researchers in an analysis of biodiversity´s significance, which highlights the role of animals and microbes in improving our understanding of genetics, the regeneration of tissues and organs, and immunity.
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Benefits to leaving the car at home quantified
Relying less on cars and switching to walking and cycling improves both our health and the environment. A recent study quantifies these benefits in financial terms to inform active transport projects and policies. It demonstrates how benefits from increased physical activity outweigh any costs of increased exposure to air pollution.
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Understanding of consumer environmental behaviour too simplistic
People who are committed to reducing their environmental impact at home do not necessarily behave in the same way when on holiday, according to a new study. The study presents a more complex view of consumer environmental behaviour than is often used to inform policymaking.
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